Jeanne (Marcoot) Bauter

Jeanne M. Bauter of Topeka, age 97, passed away Thursday, May 25, 2017.

She was born Feb. 11, 1920, in Enid, OK, the daughter of Martin W. and Mabel R. Marcoot. She graduated from Enid High School in 1937. From Phillips University, she received a Bachelor of Music majoring in cello and a Bachelor of Music Education in 1941. She taught music in Nash, OK during her senior year and in Blackwell, OK while finishing a Bachelor of Science degree the following year.

Jeanne met Donald R. Bauter at Phillips University. They were married in 1942 and moved to Waco, TX where she also taught. They moved to California and then to Germany in 1946 where Don was an Army Chaplain. They returned to California in 1948 where Jeanne worked as a church secretary and Don finished his Master of Divinity degree. Their daughter, Marcia, was born there in 1951. They moved to Kansas in 1952 and to Ohio in November, 1956. There were not enough teachers for her daughter to continue in kindergarten so she completed the necessary work to become certified to teach elementary school, and started by teaching Marcia's kindergarten class. From 1956 to her retirement from the Shaker Heights, Ohio school system in 1980, she taught kindergarten and third grade. As the daughter of a teacher, and a teacher herself, she was proud that her daughter and granddaughters also became teachers.

Jeanne was a cellist and played in symphony orchestras in Oklahoma, Texas, and Ohio. She took special pride that her granddaughter Janine became a cellist, playing in symphony orchestras in Topeka, Kansas City, and Emporia.

Following Don's retirement, they moved to Topeka in 1984 to be near their daughter and family. Jeanne was preceded in death by her husband in 1994, her sister in 2003, and her only child, Marcia, in 2015. Survivors include her son-in-law, Stephan (Steve) Henry of Topeka, and granddaughters Janine (Henry) Vandiver, Emporia, and Elaine Henry, Topeka.

Jeanne was an animal lover, had many cats and dogs throughout her life, and often cared for the dogs of family and friends and her daughter's parrot when needed. She loved to share pictures of her last two companions, Samson and Nicky, whom she adopted from HHHS.

She was an active member of First Christian Church, the Good Fellowship Class, and Christian Women's Fellowship. In prior years she had done volunteer income tax work for VITA, been in Active Prime Timers, Kiwanitas, Retired School Personnel, AAUW, and aqua classes at the YWCA. The onset and progression of macular degeneration and hearing loss made many of these activities too difficult to continue.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 10, 2017, at First Christian Church, 1880 SW Gage Blvd, Topeka, KS. The family will greet friends beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Inurnment will be in the Whispering Pines Garden at Mt. Hope Cemetery and Funeral Chapel.

Memorial contributions may be given to First Christian Church of Topeka or Helping Hands Humane Society.

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